A 66-year-old former architect at Frank O. Gehry & Associates Inc. has tentatively settled a lawsuit in which he alleged the firm founded by the late designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall wrongfully laid him off in 2024 due to his age.
Juan Minaya’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit allegations included discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. On Tuesday, Minaya’s attorneys filed court papers with Judge Maurice Leiter stating that a “conditional” resolution of the lawsuit was reached and that a request for dismissal will be filed by Feb. 27.
No terms were divulged.
In their previous court papers, the firm’s attorneys denied Minaya’s allegations and cited multiple defenses, including violation of the statute of limitations. The lawyers also contended that Minaya’s claims were brought in “bad faith” and were “frivolous, unreasonable and without foundation.”
According to Minaya’s suit, he was hired in September 2013. He was promoted the next year to senior associate architect, the highest Gehry position other than partner.
However, in November 2023, a Gehry partner told Minaya that architects with senior positions were overpaid and that younger workers were not paid enough, according to the suit, which further stated that Minaya was “taken aback” by the remark.
That same month, a partner removed Minaya from a project at the downtown Colburn School and replaced him with two architects in their 20s, the suit stated. Minaya was reassigned to reviewing blueprints, a task well below his qualifications, the suit filed last June 25 further stated.
Despite being removed from the Colburn project, the younger architects routinely asked Minaya for his guidance and expertise, according to the complaint.
Gehry continued hiring younger architects, most in their 20s, while still having Minaya review blueprints through June 2024, when he was laid off and told it was due to a lack of business, the suit stated.
When Minaya complained that he believed he was being let go because of his age, a Gehry partner told him, “We are really sorry. It’s business. You can stay for another four weeks,” the suit alleged.
Despite the partner’s explanation, Minaya knew of at least 10 active projects within the company and believed he could have been assigned to any of them, according to the suit, which further stated he was the oldest architect at Gehry and believes he was the only employee laid off.
Minaya has suffered lost earnings and emotional distress since the layoff, the suit stated.
Frank Gehry founded Gehry & Associates in 1962 and the company later evolved into Gehry Partners LLP. Along with the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gehry designed the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C. He died in Santa Monica on Dec. 5 at age 96.